Occupational Therapy

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Dr. Carol Coté, Chair & Program Director
570-941-6632

http://www.academic.scranton.edu/department/ot/

Department Faculty: Associate Professors - Carol Coté, Marlene J. Morgan, Julie A. Nastasi; Assistant Professors – Michael A. Bermudez, Karen L. Brady, Deborah Budash, Laura Zagacki; Faculty Specialists - Stephanie DeNaples, Carrie Griffiths, Lisa Kozden, Chandra Nealon, Patricia Wisniewski.

Overview

The University offers a five-year, entry-level Master of Science (MS) degree program in Occupational Therapy (OT) and a six-year, entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). Students enter these programs as freshmen and proceed through four years of undergraduate study to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences. Students enter the program undifferentiated for the MS or OTD track; at the end of the third year of study students can either apply to enter the OTD track or remain in the MS track. Both tracks lead to ability to sit for the national certification exam and qualify for licensing in all states. Following the awarding of the BS in Health Sciences, the students complete either the MS track or the OTD track and are awarded either the MS or OTD degree upon completion of graduate requirements.

The course work is sequenced in a planned progression in order to build upon and develop knowledge and skills at increasing levels of complexity, competence and integration. Therefore, all required courses are to be completed in sequence. A minimum grade of C (2.00) must be attained in every undergraduate cognate and OT course. A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.00 is required in order to advance into graduate study; a minimum, overall GPA of 3.00 must be achieved and maintained throughout the graduate year.

The normal length of time for completion of the program is five and one- half years for the MS track and six and one-half years for the OTD track. All OT students must complete Level II Fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the academic portion of the program. Required OT Level II Fieldwork are graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.

Accreditation

The Entry Level Occupational Therapy Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s phone number is c/o AOTA (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is WWW.ACOTEONLINE.ORG. The MS degree program is fully accredited and scheduled for reaccreditation in 2024. The OTD degree program has candidacy status and is scheduled for full accreditation status in 2025.

Graduates of the programs who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). It should be noted that candidates will need to provide documentation of all graduation and credentialing requirements, including completion of fieldwork for licensing in each state. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.